British Food and Travel

Friday, June 1st marks the day when people across the UK celebrate their favourite traditional dish: fish and chips. In honour of National Fish and Chip Day 2018, we take a look at what makes this dish so special and how you can enjoy it while helping to protect the oceans.

National Fish and Chip Day got its start in 2015 when The National Edible Oil Distributors’ Association, who represent packers and distributors of oils and fats in the UK, decided it was time everyone share their love for Britain’s freshest fish, a splash of vinegar, and perhaps a pickled egg. The event has soared in popularity each years since its inception. NEODA President, Ryan Baker, comments, “National Fish & Chip Day has become more popular each year and in 2018 we want it to be even bigger! It’s a celebration of the stars who work hard to bring Brits their favourite traditional takeaway. We want to bring the whole industry together to celebrate and showcase the great British institution that is Fish and Chips.”

Fishy Facts

Here a few fun facts to impress your friends as you tuck in to your fish and chips:

• It seems that fish and chips first became “a thing” in the 1860s although, as expected, there are various claims to its origin. The Malin family in London and Manchester’s Lee family both claim to have been the first.
• An estimated 382 million portions of fish and chips are eaten every year in the UK. That’s roughly six meals per person.
• The largest fish and chip shop in the UK is in Cleethorpes. Papa’s Fish and Chips opened in 2017 and has room for 500 people.
• Even Winston Churchill understood how important fish and chips are to the British people. During World War II, the dish was one of the few not subject to rationing lest it damage morale.
• Charles Dickens was ahead of his time, with the earliest known mention of chips in his 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities. He writes of “husky chips of potato, fried with some reluctant drops of oil.”

To learn more about why fish and chips remain so quintessentially British, we reached out to a couple of our favourite chippies in search of answers.

An Iconic Dish?

Let’s face it, if Winston Churchill thought rationing fish and chips would have a negative impact on war morale, it’s safe to say it was and still is an iconic part of what it means to be British. But why?

Lesley Graves from Lincoln’s Burton Road Chippy says that a love of fish and chips is in our DNA. She says, “Most people have great memories of fish and chips, whether it’s a day out, a family get together or a weekly treat.”

She also notes that it is made with natural ingredients and can be a healthy takeaway option when cooked properly. This is echoed by Ian Robson. He has been the chef proprietor of Whitby’s The Magpie Cafe along with his wife Alison since 1990. Alison’s grandparents founded the business in 1954. Ian says, “Fish and chips has always been a delicious, nutritious and good value meal and the industry in general has continued to develop and improve.”

What is the Most Requested Fish?

We typically think of cod and haddock when fish and chips is mentioned. Ian Robson says that these are still the most popular choices at The Magpie Cafe. However, he has also seen growing interest in other types of fish, most notably hake, halibut, and woof (also known as sea cat).

In Lincoln, haddock is the most commonly requested fish. Lesley Graves says that people are now becoming more keen to try different species. She is also seeing more demand for poached or panfried in addition to the traditional battered, deep fried.

Sustainable Fish and Chips

As an island nation of fish lovers, we know how important it can be to protect the waters surrounding Britain so that we can continue to enjoy fresh fish for years to come. Many of us remember when our beloved cod was fished to near-extinction. Now sustainability is a key issue to many of us when we go shopping and the little blue logo from the Marine Stewardship Council can guide us to making sensible buying decisions.

The Burton Road Chippy is proud to have become the first Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish and chip shop in Lincolnshire in 2013. According to Lesley, sustainability is a vital part of their business: ” Our customers are reassured by seeing our sustainability policy and like that we can tell them where our fish has come from and even display the name of the trawler who caught it. It hasn’t changed what people are ordering as we only offer sustainably sourced species.”

Meanwhile, Ian at The Magpie Cafe hasn’t noticed any particular changes in what people are ordering but he says that customers “like to know that we are doing our bit towards preserving stocks for future generations.”

Perfect Fish and Chips?

So what is the secret to the perfect fish and chip supper?

There’s no denying that the accompaniments are important. Salt and malt vinegar are must-haves. Some like a squeeze of lemon or tartare sauce, while others want a pickled egg or pickled onion on the side. Then there is the mushy pea controversy; people seem to fall into two distinct camps and either love or loathe them. And depending where you are in the country, you might also want a side of curry or gravy.

But all of these additions are pointless if the actual main part of the meal isn’t cooked to perfection. That’s where freshness comes in.

Ian Robson insists on “fresh fish rather than frozen, good quality potatoes and of course beef dripping.”

Lesley Graves sums it up: “We believe the secret of perfect fish and chips is 3 things: quality ingredients, knowledge, and a love of what we do.”

A love of what they do is certainly evident at both the Burton Road Chippy and The Magpie Cafe. Both serve the freshest quality ingredients, prepared by skilled cooks. No soggy batter or underdone chips here.

So wherever you get your fish and chip supper to celebrate this Friday, be sure to look for fresh,, sustainable ingredients. That way, we can be sure there’ll be lots to celebrate again next year.

The Burton Road Chippy took second place at this year’s National Fish and Chip Awards. They are located at 169 Burton Road, Lincoln.

The Magpie Cafe was recently announced as Coast Magazine’s Coastal Fish Restaurant of the Year for 2018. They are located at 14 Pier Road, Whitby.